Page 32 of Romeo

The fucker was trying to be a cock-block. He would make sure LZ failed.

Romeo tipped his beer to his lips and downed about a third of it before setting it on a nearby high-top table. “How ‘bout you finish your fuckin’ game so I can rack next?”

“You wanna play the winner, put your quarter up on the rail,” Zeke instructed him like Romeo never played a game of fucking pool in his life.

He managed to bite back his typical clap-back and instead said, “Ain’t playin’ the winner. Playin’ her.”

“Hear that, Maddie? Told you. He wants to play you.” LZ wiggled his dark eyebrows.

Romeo’s fingers automatically curled into fists.Dig deep and find that fuckin’ patience, brother, before you do somethin’ stupid.“You no longer a prospect, LZ?”

Zeke took another long drag on his cigarette. “My man, you see ‘prospect’ anywhere on my fuckin’ cut?” He blew a stream of smoke out of the side of his mouth.

“Wasn’t lookin’ that closely at you.”

He hooked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing it at the back of his cut. “Got my full set of patches a year ago.” He dropped another ball into the corner pocket with ease.

The kid probably played pool ever since he was big enough to hold a cue stick. He was probably an expert at darts, too.

But,guaran-fucking-teed, Romeo had him beat in the bedroom.

What would impress Maddie more? An expert at playing pool and darts, or at eating pussy?

His guess would be the second one. And that was only where Romeo’s skills began.

He was goddamn well-rounded.

He also appreciated well-rounded women. Tits. Ass. Hips. Lips.

They watched and waited as LZ cleaned up the rest of the table. He didn’t even give Maddie another chance to make a shot. “Ain’t much of a gentleman if he can’t even let you win,” he told her out of LZ’s hearing.

“What do you know about being a gentleman? Would you let me win?”

Romeo wasn’t as good as LZ because he hardly played pool. But,hell, he’d love to go head-to-head with Z’s oldest son in a game of dice. He’d clean out that kid’s wallet and maybe bruise that ego a bit.

“If that’s what it takes.”

“Takes for what?”

He glanced down at Maddie to see her staring at the table and not him.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” she murmured. “Not until I mentioned the other night that I come here.”

She turned in place until she was staring up at him. He knew exactly why. She wanted to watch his face.

He schooled his expression carefully. “Been busy, that’s all.”

“You mean with yourownbar? You know, the bar where you can drink for free?”

Maddie was fucking smart. She knew what was what.

A rough clearing of a throat had them both turning toward the person who did it.

LZ smirked. “Good game, girl.”

“I wasn’t even close to winning,” she admitted with a shrug.

“Gettin’ much better with my help.” When LZ said that he met Romeo’s eyes.

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